Licet Pridem
- 13 Jan 1313
For an everlasting record. Some time ago, in the general council held at Vienne
under the Lord's inspiration, we suppressed the former order of the Temple
for certain good reasons as explained in the letter of suppression. After
long and careful deliberations with our brothers and the whole council, we
bestowed on the order of the Hospital of saint John of Jerusalem, on the Hospital
itself and on our beloved sons, the master and brothers of the Hospital, in
the name of the Hospital and of the order of these men, who as the Lord's
athletes expose themselves unfailingly to the danger of death in defence of
the faith and have borne and still bear heavy loss overseas, the house of
the Knights Templar and their other houses, churches, chapels, oratories,
cities, castles, towns, lands, granges and all their other movable, immovable
and self-moving property, together with all the members and rights and all
that belongs to them, beyond and on this side of the sea and in all parts
of the world, which the former order and its master and brothers had and comprised
at the time when the master himself and some of the brothers were arrested
as a body in the kingdom of France, namely in October 1308.
The property includes that which the Templars had of themselves or through
others, and anything belonging to them in any way, with all their rights,
privileges, indults, immunities, liberties, honours and charges. We donated
and united all this forever to the Hospital and incorporated it into the Hospital,
with the approval of the sacred council and from the fullness of our apostolic
power, for the help of the holy Land. However, whatever rights belonged to
kings, princes, prelates, barons, nobles and any other Catholics, before the
arrest of the master of the former order of the Temple and of some other brothers,
were to remain. We excepted from the said donation, union and incorporation
the property of the former order of the Temple in the kingdoms and lands of
our beloved sons in Christ, the illustrious kings ... of Castile, of Aragon,
of Portugal, and of Majorca, lying outside the kingdom of France, which we
reserved with good reason for the disposal of the apostolic see.
In the letter of donation, union and incorporation, however, through the carelessness,
neglect or engagements of the scribe or secretary, mention was omitted of
the non-violation of the rights of kings, princes, prelates and other persons
concerned. Lest therefore any doubt arises in the future from such an omission
concerning these charges and rights, and any prejudice be generated against
the said kings, princes, prelates, barons, nobles and other persons, we, who
desire that everyone retains his rights unimpaired, wishing to provide a suitable
remedy in the matter for the said kings, princes, prelates, barons, nobles
and any other Catholics, declare that we have made the above donation, union
and incorporation to the order of the Hospital of saint John of Jerusalem,
and to the Hospital itself and its master and brothers, in the name of the
said Hospital and order, in the way expressed above. We determine and decree
of our certain knowledge that, without violation of the property of the former
order of the Temple donated to the order of the Hospital, together with all
its privileges, indults, immunities, liberties, rights, honours and charges,
for the help of the holy Land, nevertheless whatever rights belonged to kings,
princes, prelates, barons, nobles and any other Catholics, at the time of
the said arrest of the master and some brothers of the Temple, remain intact,
unimpaired and exactly as they would be in everything as if they had been
distinctly and expressly mentioned in the said letter of donation, union and
incorporation. Let nobody therefore ....
Given at Avignon on 13 January in the eighth year.